Paola's

I had been curious about this restaurant for a while, but I hesitated to go in because it seemed to have the slightly heavy, formal atmosphere that some Upper East Side places can have. I finally had dinner here recently, and as is also often the case on the Upper East Side, once you step inside, it turns out to be a very comfortable space. The ambiance strikes a nice balance. It does not feel too formal, but it is also not overly casual, which makes it suitable for many occasions. I visited on a weekday, and I noticed what seemed to be neighborhood regulars stopping by. Even though I am a foreigner, the restaurant still felt somehow warm and welcoming. The service was also nice. Our server kept a perfect sense of distance, attentive without being intrusive, and we were able to enjoy a relaxed conversation as a couple. We ordered the Insalata Di Mare, Fettuccine Bolognese, Gamberi Alla Griglia, Linguine Gamberi, Tiramisu, and Frutta Zabaglione. The seafood dishes were especially impressive. Even from a Japanese perspective, the ingredients were treated in a way that preserved their natural flavors, and after the first bite, I knew I would want to come back. The pasta was served at a great temperature. The seasoning did feel a bit salty at times, but overall the flavors were gentle and pleasantly mild. I also appreciated the wide range of dessert options, which my wife in particular enjoyed. Of course, this is an restaurant in the U.S., so I would not deny that some dishes lean toward stronger seasoning. Still, throughout the meal, it was clear that the kitchen cares about bringing out the character of the ingredients, and everything felt carefully prepared. If I had to point out one thing, it would be the wine selection, which felt a bit limited. Also, as is common in the U.S., a few bottles on the list seemed quite young depending on the label. If that were improved, the experience would be close to perfect. That said, this is truly a minor point. We had a wonderful weekday evening here, and I am very happy to have such a lovely restaurant in the neighborhood.

Paola is such an intimate, private little gem on the Upper East Side. The atmosphere feels rich and cozy without trying too hard—exactly what you’d hope for in the neighborhood. The service was incredibly warm, with great conversation and spot-on recommendations. And the duck? I absolutely fell in love with it. A fantastic experience all around.

My friend’s got married yesterday and hosted guests at Paola’s in between the ceremony and service. We had the place to ourselves and it was a perfect setup. The drinks are great and the staff is awesome! They even let us have aux. Would recommend for small private parties!

We frequently come here as a family with a toddler and on date nights and we always have an amazing experience. The food is great, the place is warm and cozy with lovely music. We had the pleasure of meeting the chef who owns the restaurant and he was very friendly. Highly recommend the fettuccine bolognese, the pesto pasta dish is not on the menu anymore but it’s my favorite (chef still offered it). The tiramisu and biscotti are great to top off a delicious meal. It’s a gem on the upper east side.

Paolas stands the test of time, a true classic. A beacon of simple original Italian food based in Roman cuisine they have things you can’t eat anywhere else. Carciofi artichokes fried like in Rome. They don’t worry if it’s fancy only that it’s good. The fresh pasta is amazing

Very stuffy place. Food is a ok at best. Not sure why they went after the previous owner and ousted him out. The word on the street it was driven by discrimination and boycott due to his origin untill they got him out of business. Place set empty for over a year and they end with Paola Stay away! Island is far more welcoming.

I expected this place to be so much larger than it actually was. It was the good kind of tiny. Seating was well placed, I was able to sit for a quick dinner for 3 with a reservation. Wish I could’ve stayed longer but all that means is I’ll have to go back again soon. Loved it.

Top notch food. I just got back from Rome and was craving some real Roman style Italian food and Paola’s delivered. The duck ragu was perfect. The zucchini blossoms stuffed with cheese were delicious. Loved the ambiance. Cozy dark wood, small tables but never felt cramped. Bonus Michael Pollin was sitting at the table next to me. Fun!

Delicious, intimate, great service. A lovely place! We love going there for dinner. *****

Stunning authentic Italian food! Service was wonderful and the ambiance romantic with a beautiful wine list.

I came here with my boyfriend to celebrate our anniversary and this restaurant didn't disappoint! Ambiance: although you're at single tables seemingly too close for comfort to other couples in a loud restaurant, I found the setting to still be enjoyable. The roses and lighting were really perfect for dinner. Food: I got the rigatoni with spicy Italian sausages and porcini mushrooms. Although the portion looks small at first, I was super full and thought the pasta was cooked to PERFECTION - super al dente in every bite. The sausage was good and the sauce was good - pretty standard. Overall, this is a great setting for a dinner date and I would come back again for some good Italian food!

Had dinner with a couple of friends on a Tuesday night while we were in NYC on business. Place is small and cramped, but typical of NYC restaurants. We had the zucchini flowers and the mozzarella for appetizers. Both were excellent. Disappointed in the lack of calamari and, based on how well the zucchini flowers came out, I imagine they would have done the calamari right! I had cacio e pepe, two (2) had the bolognese and one had a veal chop. All of us enjoyed the meals. Desserts and wine were good as well. Service was very good. I will add this to my list when I am in the area.

Intimate, elegant local Italian dining experience with delicious food, great ambiance, and amazing service. We started with the mozzarella which the staff spit nicely into two portions for me and my wife. We tried two pasta dishes (duck ragu and spicy sausage) which were both absolutely scrumptious. The chocolate mouse for dessert was divine. Will definitely be back

We had a rocky start at this restaurant, arriving to a queue out the door of people who had made reservations waiting for their tables. Apparently there was a Halloween party on their block and the restaurant was filled with people. I understand waiting if you don't have a reservation, but the guests on the line were livid that they had reservations and had to wait. We were annoyed at first, but were seated within 20 minutes and immediately waited on. The menu is lengthy and has a nice offering of salads, pastas and traditional Italian mains of fish and meat. The prices are not cheap and the portions are not big, but the quality of the food is good. We ordered the shaved Brussels sprout salad to start, and the grilled shrimp and pasta with spicy sausage and broccoli rabe as our mains. The salad was topped with Parmesan and apple slices and was honestly disappointing for its $18 price tag. The grilled shrimp with corn salad was tasty, but nothing spectacular or noteworthy. The pasta also had fresh ingredients, but not a woa factor, by any means. Overall, this is a good place for a fresh, traditional meal with white table cloths and nice service. If your looking for inventive dishes or a deal on price you might want to look somewhere else.

Stopped by on Sunday early afternoon after a visit to Guggenheim museum nearby and sat at the bar as the restaurant was filled. The bartender welcomed me, took my drink order right away and gave me a menu. I was trying to decide between pasta or brunch. The bartender was busy filling drink orders for the restaurant. I ended up going with brunch and the vegetable frittata with side salad and roasted potatoes. The food arrived warm, the frittata was flavorful, side salad with vinaigrette was good and potatoes were okay. The bartender continued to be busy. I asked for the check and went on my way.

The times they do indeed change. Haven't been here in nearly four years, and wish we hadn't returned. Our Sunday lunch experience was awful, to be regrettably blunt about it. The food... well, not too bad. They can still make a good Caesar salad, though the minestrone was more like a broth than a soup. And bland. Service was slow... and then non-existent. We tried to get water refills -- pretty simple, right -- and tried and tried. Twenty minutes. No refills. So, one in our group walked over to a waiter and asked for a refill. She was told -- and were quoting correctly -- "Later. We're busy." Really. We got our bill and left. Never to return. We hate writing bad reviews, but felt we had no choice in this.

Great service vibrant restaurant- pizza was very good - would recommend to anyone who who wants a good meal

Good -not excepcional - food, but singles not welcome at peak hours, except at the bar! They don't deserve a clean tablecloth and personalized service if they don't have a couple!! Big drawback for a city like NY.

The 2 stars are for the food alone. The service is one of the worst I've experienced in a long long time, so that gets 0 stars. 6 of us arrived after a morning at the Guggenheim (which is a few blocks away) - 3 adults, 3 kids. Craving some Italian, we figured it would be a good lunch option. We were seated right away, however the staff were so unkind, we considered leaving, but decided to stick it out. For food, we ordered some appetizers, the Calamari and the Olive E Grana. In the meantime, we were brought some fresh bread, and had to ask for oil & vinegar for dipping - the server literally rolled his eyes. Both appetizers arrived quickly enough, the Calamari was very different to how I've been served Calamari before, but in a good way. The aromatic breadcrumbs were a little heavy on flavor though, but not the worst. 3 from the table ordered the Clam Linguine - all 3 plates were not eaten fully because of lack of flavor. 1 breaded chicken was ordered, which was actually one of the best dishes. I had the Cacio E Pepe which was flavorful, and I would order again. The whole time we had to constantly wave for server attention just for water refills, or getting some pepper or grated cheese. Such a shame, since the menu isn't exactly inexpensive, and we ordered a lot of food. We opted to skip dessert here because of the service, again, a shame! Still I give 2 rather than 1 stars because of the food.

We tried to go to their restaurant on 92nd but it was full and only took reservations. They had a sister restaurant down on 89th and Madison that was more casual and that's where we went. We got seated right away shared a bottle of red wine and the entrées were actually quite delicious. You could tell they were very busy and trying to get as many tables turned over as they could. Because of the rush I could tell waiters were bringing plates out to the wrong tables and at first they only brought one glass of wine to our table when we had ordered a bottle. All in all things were very nice and we enjoyed a delicious dinner

Beautiful, atmospheric restaurant. The bar looked very inviting. The crowd broke UES geriatric when we got there. I assume some younger people arrived later. Cocktails were excellent. We were served really good warm bread. The salads were above average. I had some really good tagliatelle with cinghiale. I ate it for the first time in Tuscany 20 years ago and get it whenever I can. My wife and her buddy split really good chicken Milanese and pasta. We ended the meal with a solid order of tartufo. Paola's is a nice way to spend the evening among plutocrats.

Nice place to have a quiet lunch either alone or with colleagues. Service is very good. Get the veal ravioli...yum Just one inconvenience: I booked my res with Open Table. They forgot to note that I'd shown up. Open Table thought I was a no show. So, no points for me.

Delicious food and pastries ... everything was scrumptious! We had appetizers and desserts and it was all top knotch

Meh - this place is overrated. We came in with a reservation and were told to wait for 5 minutes - while the waiter continued to seat other parties and a few tables seemed open. We had to wait an additional 30 minutes to be seated. Some of the waiters were pretty snooty while we were waiting. As for the food, the only thing I can recommend is the grilled calamari - which was the perfect appetizer. Next, I had the seafood pasta, which was just too salty - making it inedible. We chose not to stay for dessert. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again.

I've walked past Paola's so many times and was happy to be able to give it a try! The food was decent but the only thing that really stood out to me was one of the breads in the bread basket ha. This was also my first time having burrata and I thought the presentation was delightful! I would be willing to try it again, but I do like other places in the neighborhood more.

Paola's serves excellent Italian food. I've been there on a number of occasions. The staff is friendly and entertaining without being intrusive. My friend asked for an off-menu dish, and the Chef prepared it. My favorite dish is the grilled shrimp, but everything I've tried there is delicious. They have a good wine list, and they're helpful about making suggestions. Good outdoor seating. There are 2 Paola's. This is the one on Lexington Avenue on 90th St.

We went here tonight for dinner. We split the salad with shaved apples and walnuts and it was great. I had the jumbo shrimp with arugula and grilled corn for dinner...excellent, very fresh and spot on! My hubby had the spicy sausage rigatoni and he really liked it. It wasn't too spicy for him. We ate in the street addition they had set up for Covid . It was cozy and quiet. Waiter was friendly and polite. I'd highly recommend this restaurant.

Have frequented Paola's for 3 years. Inside is intimate and staff will remember you although they can oversell themselves and be a bit arrogant at times. I am, however, very turned off when a place stoops to deceitful tactics. Today, after a long walk in the heat to Paola's, 4 of us sat and were offered water (choice of flat or sparkling) and we chose flat. In this (drawing from the past) and most similar restaurants, choosing flat means tap water unless you are explicitly told you are buying bottled water. Well, we unknowingly racked up $20 in water charges just to have about a full glass of water each. *FYI we bought multiple alcoholic drinks and sodas so it's not like they needed to make money off of us. When I brought it up when paying the bill the waiter acted as if I were crazy. This is such a bush league move by the restaurant. Makes me not want to return.

The food here is consistently great. We love the pasta! Definitely recommend as a great neighborhood spot.

I always order online . Food is ok But the guy who answers the phone is very rude . So is the girl that answers the delivery .

Came here for Valentine's Day dinner and OMG. The food was fantastic. I had the lobster bisque and the bolognese which was just so so good. The setting is so romantic - very good for a date night. We always pass by this place on our way to the gym and we're so glad we came in. Will definitely be back!

Everything was impeccable!!! Loved the ambiance & the service. I'm very picky about linguini & clam sauce, it was excellent.

We had reservation for 4 at 7:30 pm. We arrived on time and when we approached the greeter she told us to wait 5 minutes. In the meantime a second group of 4 came after us (they seemed like regulars) and they sat the right away. We kept waiting for 30 minutes and not only they didn't sit us but they wouldn't even apologize for the delay or look at us. We finally walked out and went across the street called "PASCALOU" which was excellent. Recommendation for Paola's... if you are not a regular, DON'T GO.

We absolutely loved our meal and experience at Paola's! We were worried about being in a time crunch that evening, but the manager who greeted us said "I'll talk care of you, no worries". True to his word, our food was ready for us in no time so that we could enjoy it at a leisurely pace. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive. On to the food. We had the Crab Spaghetti and the Lobster salad. Both were amazing dishes that I would recommend. Dessert was the most delicious tirimasu we had ever had... the perfect end to a wonderful meal.

I have dined here a few times in the past. Always found the service less than pleasant and the food fair at best. Went this past Sunday afternoon for brunch and requested an outdoor table on the avenue in the sun. Then the manager/owner came offered the same table we declined, we said we were waiting for a table on the avenue in the sun to be set up. His response was "How about I pay the rent and you pay your check. I'll choose where to seat you". Unbelievably RUDE to say the least. We took our business elsewhere. #Not the time to be ARROGANT in today's world especially when your "rented" outdoor space is free thanks to the city!

My husband and I came here today with the family for a surprise 75th Birthday dinner for his father Beautiful restaurant , elegant setting, nice view of Madison Avenue The waiters were friendly, they even took the ice cream cake I made and put it In their freezer until dessert time The food was delicious, came on time , very generous portions, my chicken Milanese was the size of my plate! I took the other half home The Cesare salad with grilled chicken was amazing - such a huge piece of grilled chicken - my husband split it with me All of the waiters came to the table to sing Happy Birthday to my father in law I had a cappuccino after dinner - which was awesome ! Wonderful day out in Manhattan and wonderful restaurant !

Best pizza in the area . Thin crispy and flavorful. I had the robiola and truffle one . The wine selection was also good plus the service was very friendly and efficient . We sat on the outdoor space and it was a little chilly due to the cold wind but overall we felt comfortable and safe .

I have ordered frequently from Paola's restaurant, but not recently. Tonight we decided to order again and were really disappointed. The bucatini pasta was not up to par, the apple slices on the salad had already turned brown, and the bread was stale. With so many dining options in NYC, you'd think they would send out food that's a lot better.

Extremely disappointed in our last visit and will not return. Two of visited Paola's for lunch at 11:15 ready to enjoy a relaxed meal. The restaurant was nearly empty--it's a very large space, and there were only two other parties. We waited patiently in the entrance to be seated. The waiter arrived without greeting us and ploughed into me to grab the menus behind us. It was painful and shocking. In an empty restaurant, it was completely unnecessary to assault a female patron. He continued to behave aggressively toward us. We mentioned the incident to another waiter and left Paola's without ordering. After this extremely unprofessional experience at Paola's, we will not be back.

This is one of those stereotypical upper east side restaurants. I wouldn't come here on my own, but I was dining on someone's expense. The food was delicious and service was excellent. I recommend the veal in lemon sauce that was especially tender and nicely flavored. The fig dessert was also spectacular. Kind of overpriced, but worth if you're dining on someone else's dime.

Paola's takes the term "water closet" in the most literal of ways - it seems they used a hollowed out closet-esque space with just enough room for a toilet, sink, and 5 inches of extra room to stretch the legs, do a dance, and adjust your tie (or equivalent) in the mirror. Not that you'd be going here just for the WC - that would be fairly odd. Suited for lunch or dinner, I find business lunches here to be an absolute delight. A glass of red at lunch makes any day a good day to be...at Paola's. The food has been excellent in each of my visits - I find myself drawn to a meal consisting of... -Pappardelle with Duck Ragout -Caesar Salad (to start) -2 (two, dos) glasses of red (in succession, if possible) (or just sparkling water...depending on the company.) -Lemon Tart -Cappuccino to finish The service is classy, the food is classymoderncontemporary, and there is a delightful mix of italian specialties and seafood on the menu (and varying specials) that are sure to please just about anyone that walks through the door.

Probably my favorite restaurant right now. The food is fantastic and the staff are super nice. The only thing is that it's a little bit on the pricey side. I would recommend though for special occasions.

Had brunch here in the summer a few times, it was lovely to sit outside. We had excellent service, great brunch cocktails and delicious food. The lobster salad was great as well as egg benedict. It is pretty pricey but that's expected for the Madison location, but we enjoyed the place and will definitely be back.

Paola's recently moved and now I am in their delivery zone! Their pasta is the best I've had in the city and it was delivered perfectly hot. The TROFIE GENOVESI with pesto, pine nuts. string beans and potatoes is to die for. They also have half orders of pasta so you can try a few. You must call to order delivery.

Went to Paola NYC a few days ago. The food was fine however I won't return since none of the employees (waitstaff or hosts) were masked even though NYC is in the midst of an Omicron surge. Very uncomfortable when our unmasked waiter was standing over me to describe nightly specials & take our orders. When I asked, they said they check vaccination status. Not enough right now with so many breakthrough infections.

Under no circumstance should anyone ever dine here- the management is fraudulent. First, we called day of to confirm they still did BYOB (no corkage) and were told they did- upon arriving we were informed that there was a $45/bottle corkage fee. After then deciding to order their wine we ordered a bottle marked on the menu as $50. Immediately after the server had opened and poured the wine, the manager Ramon came and rudely informed us that the menu was misprinted, that the bottle should have been marked $180, and that we needed to pay that. After we argued with him that we should not be penalized for their mistake, which he admitted was theirs, he said "ok then $100." None of us have ever such poor service.

Stopped in without reservations on a weeknight. It was full but there was no line (at least when we walked in) and we were seated in ten minutes. The manager was good about making it clear that we would get the next table. Some people chose to eat at the bar which also looked comfortable. The clientele is middle age and older Upper East side and most are wearing jackets but you can get away with jeans. Seemed like kind of a neighborhood restaurant for these folks I liked the ambiance--busy but not hectic, noisy but not too loud. I had the Caesars salad ($12) and lobster linguine special ($25), both very good. Extensive wine list and we got a decent half bottle of red for $30. No complaints about the food or service. There is some outside seating also. I would go back when in the area.

Great spot, food is absolutely amazing. Service is excellent, i'd like to compliment Beata, the bartender for a great service! She's friendly, attentive and always checking her guests are having a wonderful time. Five stars for this place, love it!

Went here for lunch based on good reviews. Nothing to write home about. I got the shrimp salad which was fresh. Nothing unusual.

Tonight I had dinner at Paola's this happens to be one of my favorite restaurants I have had their brunch and I dine here often enough to consider myself a regular, the food is delectable I suggest you try a little bit of everything. I will continue to dine here I love the food , what I don't appreciate is being treated unfairly , I felt I was treated unfairly by the bartender I am a paying customer yet I got cheated on my margarita this is not the cup margaritas are served in, if you dined here as often as I do you would know that, this is a small glass very small glass compared to the one it always comes in , i felt the bartender was being racist towards me it's not the first time she has acted in such a way, why are you cheating me on my $18 drink ? today I decided to write a review , next time I dine here which I will continue to do so the food is exquisite but the blond bartender is racist she will not be serving my drinks again I will make sure to ask someone else to handle my drinks I had enough of her. I hope someone reads this and takes notes don't order from blondie.

I always wanted to come and dine here. So I decided to go in today and have lunch. I always love eating alone, it's "me time" The service was ok , food phenomenal. However , one of the waiters kept trying to have a conversation or start some banter during my meal. ( which I noticed he didn't do with anyone else in the restaurant ) I had to tell him plenty of times I just want to enjoy my meal. I started to feel uncomfortable and decided to quickly eat my lunch and pay the bill. After I got up to leave and he started stalking me and followed me outside , then he made sure to tell me that he works every Wednesday if I ever wanted to stop by and see him. What kind of shit is this??!!!! I have never felt so disgusted with someone's behavior. I will NoT be returning. I spent $100 to be harassed and bothered and then stalked on my way out. Paola's get your damn people in check.

Lovely ambience, authentic Italian food and great service. I've been here twice and couldn't help but get the taglerini con funghi on both occasions -because it was spot on. When I went there recently for lunch I just got half the order which was perfect since I couldn't afford an afternoon siesta :) We also got the Bronzino, a cauliflower app-both of which were good. Will be back.

Came in for brunch this past Sunday. We were in the area and Paolo's caught out eye. I had the poaches eggs in tomato sauce and polenta which was really good. My sister had poaches eggs with mushrooms. We also shared the lobster salad which I have to say was probably the best I've had in a while. (jumbo shrimps and huge chunks of lobster) I have to say though that service was a bit slow even though there weren't too many patrons at the time. It took us a little while to get someone's attention to get some water. I do want to come back to try their pasta dishes. From the reviews it sounds amazing.

Most of my reviews are based ON VALUE. The key components of VALUE are food, service, ambiance and price. Paola' totally failed on all components. The food is average, the service needs some polish and the room looks bit tired and trite with the service station prominently placed in the heart of the restaurant. The bread arrives accompanied with individually packaged butter. This truly is an introduction to a diner NOT fine dining. Individually packaged butter? Give me a break. The table is covered with a white table cloth which in turn is covered by a white paper cut out. This is a NO NO if you are charging me for fine dining. Now to the food. We ordered prosciutto which was served on a block board with no accompanying condiments such as olives, capers or any greens. Stark naked prosciutto and it was not the best quality either. It was dry, dark colour, not pink like the Parma prosciutto. I ordered linguine with clams. It was tasty but the clams arrived shelled and there were only 6 clams. Why the clams were shelled is beyond me. When the clams are served in their shells, you know they are real. I was deprived of that pleasure. The service definitely needs fine tuning. There were 3 service people assigned to a table of 4 guests. At one point the waiter tried to take away the salad plate of my guest while she was still working at it. I had to remind the waiter that my guest was still working at it and his gesture was contrary to good service etiquette. There were several other flaws in service. For sure the bill reflected a fine dining event, BUT IT WAS NOT. For VALUE I definitely recommend Danny Myers' establishment Maialino. The prix -fixe lunch excels on all the 4 components of VALUE. Paola's is living in a world of average food , perhaps upscale diner ambience and bad service. Cheers Suresh Chawla Toronto, Canada.

The food was good, service was terrible. Our waiter just didn't seem to care one bit about us, just seemed kind of miserable to be there. We asked if he could suggest any nonalcoholic drinks. He just said no. Asked again, and he said that they didn't have anything. I mean, at least go holler at the bartender for a suggestion? Later, my mom found a staple in her pasta. We told the waiter and he just took it and walked away kind of grumbling to himself. Called the manager over, and he didn't really seem to care that there was a staple in one of the dishes. They didn't charge for the pasta, which is good, but still. Maybe show that you're a human? Show some concern for your patrons. Smile for goodness sake. With that said, the food was really good. Just the service made it a lot less enjoyable than it could have been.

Food was good. Service was good. We got brunch but the prices were still very pricey!

After reading the reviews, I had low expectations for the food at Paola's so I was pleasantly surprised by what I ate. I started with the burratta, caponata, and prosciutto whichwas decent. The burrata ball was large! Then I had the branzino with artichokes, favs beans and peas. It was also very good. Nice mild flavor, perfectly cooked veggies. The "seasonal berries" with zabaione were strawberries and blueberries, which in November were not very good. And the zabaione was on the bland side. I'd skip dessert next time. The place was packed, giving it a lively vibe on a Sunday night. It also made it loud and hard to here my table mates. The have a nice wheelchair accessible bathroom. If I was invited here again, I'd be less skeptical. :)